Railway-switch.



T. L. 'HENSLEY.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1911.

1,010,494, Patented De0. 5,1 911;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. HENSLEY, OF ALVARADO, TEXAS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. HENsLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alvarado, in the county of Johnson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switches, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway switches, and re lates more particularly to that class of railway switches, wherein an oscillatory rail member is substituted for the frog ordinarily used.

The object of the invention is to provide a railway switch of the character described, in which the oscillatory rail member will be pivotally mounted in a novel manner, resulting in great strength, and very little friction.

Another object is to provide a novel lever mechanism by which the switch points and oscillatory member may be simultaneously operated.

A further object is to provide an improved form of locking means, by which the oscillatory member will be securely held against displacement in either of its two positions of adjustment.

Finally the object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, simple and eflicient, and comparatively easy to construct, and also one that will not be likely to get out of working order.

With these and various other objects in view, my invention has relation to certain novel features of the construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the railroad switch, showing the switch in its closed position, such that the trains will not leave the main track. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the oscillatory switch memher, the section being taken upon the line 00-00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a view of the switch stand in side elevation, showing a hand lever and a foot lever, one of which is employed to operate the oscillating switch member, and the other to lock said member in either of its two positions. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the oscillating switch member, the section being taken upon the line yy of Fig. 1. Fig. 5

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1911.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 643,036.

is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line Z@ of Fig. 1, showing how the inner rails of the main track and side-track are braced and supported adjacent to the oscillating rail member. Fig. '6 is a detail view showing the attachment between the oscillating switch member and the rod, by which said member may be oscillated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in all the figures, the

track, and 2 designates the rails of a siding or branch track which has connection with the main track by means of the herein described switch. At the intersection of the inner rails of the two tracks, where a railway frog is ordinarily placed, there is po-' sitioned a rectangular metalplate 3, resting upon the track ties and rigidlysecured to the same by spikes or other suitable means. The plate 3 furnishes a pivotal support for a somewhat smaller rectangular metallic plate 4, the pivot being formed by the head 5 of a large bolt, technically known as a cheese head bolt, said head being securely riveted to the under surface of the plate 4 at the center thereof, and being positioned in a suitable circular aperture 6, passing through the center of the plate 3. The downwardly projecting threaded shank 7 numeral 1 denotes the rails of the main diameter to prevent any possible upward displacement of the bolt, and itselfprevented from working loose by a cotter key 9 passing through the nut and bolt. A section of rail 10 is longitudinally mounted upon the plate 4, and is securely fastened at the center of said plate by a pair of elongated bars 11, bolted or rivet-ed tothe plate 4 at each side of the base of the rail 10, and slightly overhanging said base. From the above description it is apparent that the section of rail 10, with its supporting plate 4, may be oscillated about the pivotal center formed by the cheese head bolt, so as to bring the section of rail into alinement with either the inner rail of the'main track, or that of the sidetrack. A description will now be given of the mechanism by which this oscillating motion may be accomplished.

At each end of the plate 4, there is provided a small laterally projecting lug or bracket 12. To each lugis pivotally connected the bifurcated head of a bolt 13, and the threaded shank of each bolt is received by the extremity of a rod 14. The rods 14 are parallel with the ties of the track, and extend laterally beneath the outer rail of the main track. At one side of the main track, opposite to the oscillating switch member, there is positioned a stationary plate 15, upon which are pivotally mounted a pair of bell-cranks 16, one at each extremity of the plate. The outer extremities of the rods 14 have pivotal connection each with one arm of said bell-cranks. The other arms of the two bell-cranks are pivotally attached to bars 17 at one end of said bars. The other ends of the two bars have pivotal connection with the two extremities of a centrally pivoted rod 18, from which an arm 19 projects opposite to the pivotal point, forming a T-lever. From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a slight angular displacement may be communicated to the oscillating switch member by rocking the T-lever, formed by parts 18 and 19, about its pivotal support.

An elongated rod 20, parallel with the main track, has one of its extremities pivotally connected with the arm 19 of' the T- lever, and its other extremity pivotally attached to one arm of a bell-crank lever 21, mounted upon a base or foundation 22 opposite to the switch points. The other arm of the bell-crank 21 has pivotal connection with one extremity of a rod 23, transverse with the main track and extending beneath the same betweenthe ties. The other extremity of the rod 23 has pivotal connection with the lower end of a hand-lever 24, pivotally mountedadjacent to its lower end upon a a vertical bracket 25, said bracket being provided with a quadrant at its top, in which are provided two transverse grooves 26, adapted to receive the usual spring-pressed rod carried by the lever for the purpose of holding the latter in its two positions of adjustment. The two adjustable switch points 27 are pivotally mounted at one extremity in the usual manner, and their other extremities, upon which the points are provided, are pivotally mounted upon collars 28, fast upon the transverse rod 23. It is thus apparent that when the lever 24 is thrown back or forth, the two switch points will be swung through a slight angular displacement about their pivotal supports, so as to either open or close the switch, and at the same time the system of levers and bellcranks, operated by the hand-lever 24, will produce an oscillation of the rail section 10 to correspond with the motion of the switch points. Two small sections of rail 29 form a part of the inner rails of the main track and side-track adjacent to the pivoted extremities of the switch points, and are adapted to connect either switch point with the oscillating rail member 10, depending upon the position of the latter.

A description will now be given of the mechanism employed to lock the oscillating switch member in either of its two positions of adjustment.

In the plate 3, beneath the opposite extremities of the plate 4, there are provided two circular apertures 30, said apertures being so positioned that one of them will be centrally beneath the rail member 10 in each of its two positions of adjustment. In each aperture 30 is mounted a short plunger 31, adapted to undergo a slight reciprocating motion, and provided with a plunger rod 32 extending downwardly through the center of a circular plate 33, secured to the under surface of the plate 3. Between the plate 33 and the plunger 31, a spring 34 is coiled upon the rod 32, exerting a constant upward pressure upon the plunger. At each end of the plate 4, upon the under side thereof, are provided a pair of circular recesses 35, which are at the same distance from the pivotal center of the oscillatory switch member as the plungers 31, so that the plungers 31 are adapted to onter'the recesses 35 to hold the oscillatory member against displacement in either of its two positions. The upward pressure of the coiled springs 34, acting upon the plungers 31 will cause said plungers to enter the recesses 35 automatically as soon as the oscillatory member has reached either of its two positions of adjustment.

A means will now be described by which the plungers 31 may be simultaneously displaced in a downward direction when it is desired to change the position of the switch.

The lower extremities of the two plunger rods 32- are rigidly connected by a bar 36, which bar is pivoted near its middle to one arm of a bell-crank 37, pivotally supported by a bracket 38 secured to the under surface of the plate 3. The pivotal axis of the bellcrank is approximately parallel with the rod 36, so that when the bell-crank is locked it will either raise or lower the rod 36. The other arm of the bell-crank 37 has pivotal connection with a horizontal rod 39, parallel with the ties, and extending beneath the outer rail of the main track. The other extremity of the rod 39 has pivotal connection with one arm of a pivoted bellcrank 40, mounted upon the plate 15. The other arm of said bell-crank is pivot-ally connected to an elongated rod 41, which is parallel with the main track. The other extremity of the rod 41 has pivotal connection with one arm of a bell-crank 42, pivotally mounted upon the base plate 22. The other arm of the bell-crank 42 is pivotally attached to one end of a rod 43, extending transversely beneath the main track adjacent to the rod 23. The other end of the rod 43 is pivotally secured to one arm of a bell-crank 44 adjacent to the switch stand carrying the bracket 25. The other arm of the bell-crank 44 is pivotally connected to one extremity of a rod 45 parallel with the main track. The other end of the rod 45 is pivotally attached to an arm 46 projecting rigidly downward from a rock-shaft 47, horizontally mounted upon the lower portion of the bracket 25. A horizontal foot lever 48, approximately semi-circular has its two ends rigidly mounted upon the rockshaft 47. The foot-lever is normally held in a raised position through the action of a pair of coiled springs 49 at each side of the bracket 25, one end of each spring being rigidly attached to the rock-shaft, and the other end bearing upon the front of the bracket 25, as shown in Fig. 3. Before the switchman can throw the lever 24, he must place his foot on the foot-lever 48, thus actuating the train of levers and bell-cranks by which the plungers 31 are downwardly displaced from the recesses 35 in the plate 3. The lever 24 may then be swung over, and when the foot of the operator is removed from the part 48, the plungers 31 will again enter the recesses 35 under pressure of the springs 34, and will lock the oscillatory switch member in its new position.

An importantfeature of the above described railway switch is the location of most of the operating mechanism upon the opposite side of the switch tothat occupied by the switch stand, so that the switchmen in getting on and off of moving trains for the purpose of throwing the switch, will not be tripped up by the levers and connecting rods, by which the switch is operated. It is also to be observed that the oscillatory rail member 10 is entirely prevented from any displacement relative to its supporting plate 4, so that there can be no possibility of accidents due to the oscillatory rail becoming loose or failing to assume its proper positions of adjustment. It will also be noted that the two extremities of the oscillatory switch member are slightly curved, the arc of the curve having its center at the point of pivotal support, so that the extremities of the oscillatory rail may be brought closely adjacent to the extremities of the stationary rails for either position of adjustment.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details and proportions of parts. of the above described invention, and the device is, therefore, presented as including all such changes and modifications as may be included within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A railway switch, comprising a plate, supported by the ties at the intersection of the inner rails of the main track and siding, a second plate pivotally supported by the first named plate, a rail section rigidly mounted upon the second plate, and adapted by oscillation of the latter to be alined with the inner rails of either the main track or siding, a pair of switch points, a mechanism for simultaneously oscillating the pivoted plate and moving the switch points, a pair of spring-pressed plungers, slidably positioned in apertures at each extremity of the lower plate, and adapted by vertical displacement to enter either of two recesses in the pivotal plate, a rod forming a rigid connection between said plungers, and a mechanism operated from the switch stand, by which the rod connecting the plungers may be displaced downwardly from its normal position when the rail is being oscillated.

2. A railway switch, comprising a plate, supported by the ties at the intersection of the inner rails of the main track and the siding, a second plate pivotally supported by the first named plate, a rail section rigidly mounted upon the second plate, and adapted by oscillation of the latter to be alined with the inner rails of either the main track or siding, a pair of switch points, a switch stand opposite to the switch points, a rod transversely positioned beneath the switch points and pivotally connected to the same, adapted to receive a displacement transverse with the track from the switch stand, a mechanism operated by the displacement of said rod adapted to produce an oscillation of the pivotal plate, a pair of plungers slidably positioned in apertures in the lower plate at each extremity thereof, each plunger being adapted by vertical displacement to enter either of two recesses provided at each end of the pivotal plate upon the under surface thereof, a rod establishing a rigid connection between said plungers, and a mechanism operated from the switch stand, by which said rod may be displaced downwardly from its normal position when the pivoted plate is being oscillated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. a

THOMAS L. HENSLE-Y.

Witnesses:

W. T. MARTIN,- J. R. BOUNDS.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0. 

